Game Like a Mother

Quick Take: This game is so much fun! It's a cooperative speed game where you play cards to battle bosses. You also have special powers based on the character and the color of cards you're playing with. It takes a few minutes to set up for a round of play, but then you set the timer for five minutes and go! We love it because it can be a fully enjoyable game for adults, but you can also adjust it to play with younger children. The best of both worlds!

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How to Play: Your goal is to beat the boss within a 5 minute window. Technically you are supposed to start with boss #1 and progress to boss #5, and each boss escalates in difficulty. Piled on top of the boss are a number of cards that vary depending on the level of boss you have selected. Each card poses its own challenge that you must defeat in order to get to the main boss. You and your fellow players each select a hero to play with. Each hero has a special ability and comes with its own color-coded deck. If you are playing a two player game, you and your fellow player each deal out five cards from your color decks. If you're playing with more players you are instructed to deal out fewer cards. You turn on the stopwatch, flip over the first card on top of the boss and try to play your cards as quickly as possible -- working together -- to defeat all of the people, monsters, obstacles, etc. If you get through the cards, make it to the boss, and defeat the boss in 5 minutes or less, you are victorious!

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Variations: For younger children, it's nice to ignore the "beat it in 5 minutes" rule and just use a stopwatch to time how long a round takes. Just try to beat your fastest time whenever you play, which removes the stress out for smaller kids and greatly expands the age range that can successfully play this game. 

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Similar Games To Check Out: Monopoly Deal, Santorini, Codenames, Kingdomino, 5 Minute Marvel.